Press Releases

A chaplain with several years of experience at a large health system in the Midwest is Thompson Health’s new Director of Spiritual Care.

Mark Henson, who joined Thompson July 6, previously worked for eight years as a chaplain for Heartland Health, based in St. Joseph, Mo. The regional health system serves northwest Missouri, northeast Kansas, southeast Nebraska and southwest Iowa. It includes 365 acute care beds in a hospital classified as a Level II trauma center. While with Heartland, Henson gained experience in not only trauma but in palliative care, advance directives, and eye/tissue donation.

Now a Canandaigua resident, Henson obtained his Master’s of Divinity from Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City and his Master’s in Social Gerontology from the University of Central Missouri, training to be a chaplain at three Kansas City hospitals. The Illinois native’s Bachelor’s in Music is from Graceland University in Iowa.

As Director of Spiritual Care for Thompson Health, Henson will oversee approximately three dozen chaplain’s volunteers who in 2008 paid over 20,000 visits to hospital patients, residents of Thompson’s senior living continuum, family members and Thompson Associates. He will also be involved in community outreach efforts.

Thompson’s former Director of Spiritual Care, the Rev. Richard McCaughey, retired in July following 14 years with the health system and remains involved as a volunteer.